A giant flying wolf.. and tornadoes

[Marvel-dude]

Greetings Giantitp-users
I have started to GM a campaign in which I have run into a decent problem.

I am running the typical 3.5 DND (but this time it is über low magic setting) in which the PCs are going around the world and collecting the 4 elemental gems (Not that original but I like it that way).

Currently they are collecting the Air Gem and they are going to climb the highest mountain in the land but unknown to them is the legend that Omazu, a giant flying wolf, thinks of this mountain as his territory and will hunt/kill anyone that approaches it/the temple.

Now my problem is that I have to stat out that before-mentioned gigantic flying wolf that that whenever he exhales, tornadoes come out and his spit turns enemies into stone.

My trouble is: A) How would you stat out this flying wolf (CR around 15-18-ish)
And B) Where can I read about tornado rules? Is there even tornado rules :\

[Draken]

Well, for the wolf you could probably upscale a Giant WInter Wolf a few (many) HD.

Petrification spit is easy. Ranged touch attack, fortitude vs petrification.

Tornado is included in the weather rules of the DMG. Page 95, to be precise.

Beast of Legend template is likely to be useful.

And this would be a better fit in the Roleplaying Games subforum, I think.

[Temotei]

And this would be a better fit in the Roleplaying Games subforum, I think.

Not necessarily, since this monster won't be in any Monster Manual pre-made. It's homebrew, technically.

The rest I agree with, though.

[Mulletmanalive]

There's a thing called a Thyrm Hound in MM5. I suggest that you ask Vorpal Tribble to advance it to your chosen CR, here (this is a link). If you're wondering, Thyrm Hounds are basically Winter Wolves painted by nordic skalds...

Whirlwinds can be found in the abilities of an Air Elemental, so perhaps an SLA that allows it to summon Air Elementals [whirlwind only] would work for that.

[DracoDei]

Whirlwinds can be found in the abilities of an Air Elemental, so perhaps an SLA that allows it to summon Air Elementals [whirlwind only] would work for that.

Nope, is actually a core spell too... might or might not have to tweak the power level some, but a swift or free action SLA sounds good...

[Lyndworm]

I know that somebody already mentioned VT's Monster Advancement thread, but you might want to check out this specific example. It's a Half-Howling Dragon Winter Wolf, and it's very Cold and Wind themed while being a Huge flying wolf. It was calculated to be about CR 11.

[Frog Dragon]

Advanced Monster of Legend Winged Winter Wolf
Huge Outsider (Cold) (Native)
HP: 18d10 (99+186=285)
Initiative: +9
Speed: 50ft, Fly 70ft (Perfect)
Armor Class: 26 (-2 Size, +13 Natural Armor, +5 Dex), Touch 13, Flat Footed 21
Base Attack/Grapple: +18/+39
Attack: Bite +29 Melee (4d6+19+1d6 Cold)
Full Attack: Bite +29 Melee (4d6+19+1d6 Cold)
Space/Reach: 15ft/10ft
Special Attacks: Breath Weapon, Freezing Bite, Trip, Frightful Presence, Petrifying Spit
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60ft, Immunity to Cold, Vulnerability to Fire, Low-Light Vision, Scent, Fast Healing 5, Reflective Hide
Saves: Fort +24, Ref +19, Will +14
Ability Scores: Str, 36, Dex 21, Con 30, Int 11, Wis 17, Cha 14
Skills: Listen +25, Spot +25, Survival +3 (+7),
Feats: Improved Initiative (B), Tempest Breath, Improved Natural Attack, Flyby Attack, Ability Focus (Frightful Presence), Power Attack, Large and in Charge (Draconomicon), Iron Will
Challenge Rating: 14-16 (May be under CR:ed)

Breath Weapon
4d6 Cold, DC 29 reflex half, 15ft cone, 1d4 round cooldown.
Trip
When hits an opponent with bite, may attempt to trip as free action.
Immunity, Vulnerability
Immune to Cold, Vulnerable to Fire (50% extra damage)
Frightful Presence
When howls, causes shaken condition in all creatures with less HD than it has within 20ft of it. Will Negates DC 23. Successful save makes you immune for 24 hours
Fast Healing 5
The wolf heals 5 damage each turn.
Reflective Hide
The wolf is affected by a spell turning effect, always.
Senses
Scent, Darkvision 60ft, Low-Light Vision.
Petrifying Spit
The wolf may spit at any creature within 30ft of itself as a standard action. This is a ranged touch attack. If the attack hits, the creature must make a DC 29 fortitude save (con based) or be turned to stone permanently

Here you go. Quite straightforward. Flies around (perfect maneuverability), deals a lot of damage. Is huge. Casting spells on it reveals a nasty surprise and the frightful presence fits with the big scary wolf theme. The breath weapon is weak at this level, but it comes with the winter wolf base.
This doesn't have the spit or tornado parts, but I reckon that you could exchange the normal breath weapon for the tornado version, and add spit. It would probably add to the CR slightly, but it should still be in your preferred range.
Edit: Modified to petrify and breath tornadoes.

[Lyndworm]

I'd lose Improved Toughness for Tempest Breath. It fits with the whole "exhales tornadoes" thing pretty well, and with 303hp it wouldn't kill him to lose 18hp.

Slightly Swordsaged by the edit!

[Frog Dragon]

I edited the old breath weapon back in with that feat. Now it's fully RAW, except for the petrifying spit part, which I ad hoc'd from the medusa gaze. I figure using a feat is better than Ad hoccing.

[Marvel-dude]

Advanced Monster of Legend Winged Winter Wolf
Huge Magical Beast (Cold)
HP: 18d10 (99+186=285)
Initiative: +9
Speed: 50ft, Fly 70ft (Perfect)
Armor Class: 26 (-2 Size, +13 Natural Armor, +5 Dex), Touch 13, Flat Footed 21
Base Attack/Grapple: +18/+39
Attack: Bite +29 Melee (4d6+19+1d6 Cold)
Full Attack: Bite +29 Melee (4d6+19+1d6 Cold)
Space/Reach: 15ft/10ft
Special Attacks: Breath Weapon, Freezing Bite, Trip, Frightful Presence, Petrifying Spit
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60ft, Immunity to Cold, Vulnerability to Fire, Low-Light Vision, Scent, Fast Healing 5, Reflective Hide
Saves: Fort +24, Ref +19, Will +14
Ability Scores: Str, 36, Dex 21, Con 30, Int 11, Wis 17, Cha 14
Skills: Listen +25, Spot +25, Survival +3 (+7),
Feats: Improved Initiative (B), Tempest Breath, Improved Natural Attack, Flyby Attack, Ability Focus (Frightful Presence), Power Attack, Large and in Charge (Draconomicon), Iron Will
Challenge Rating: 14-16 (May be under CR:ed)

Breath Weapon
4d6 Cold, DC 29 reflex half, 15ft cone, 1d4 round cooldown.
Trip
When hits an opponent with bite, may attempt to trip as free action.
Immunity, Vulnerability
Immune to Cold, Vulnerable to Fire (50% extra damage)
Frightful Presence
When howls, causes shaken condition in all creatures with less HD than it has within 20ft of it. Will Negates DC 23. Successful save makes you immune for 24 hours
Fast Healing 5
The wolf heals 5 damage each turn.
Reflective Hide
The wolf is affected by a spell turning effect, always.
Senses
Scent, Darkvision 60ft, Low-Light Vision.
Petrifying Spit
The wolf may spit at any creature within 30ft of itself as a standard action. This is a ranged touch attack. If the attack hits, the creature must make a DC 29 fortitude save (con based) or be turned to stone permanently

Here you go. Quite straightforward. Flies around (perfect maneuverability), deals a lot of damage. Is huge. Casting spells on it reveals a nasty surprise and the frightful presence fits with the big scary wolf theme. The breath weapon is weak at this level, but it comes with the winter wolf base.
This doesn't have the spit or tornado parts, but I reckon that you could exchange the normal breath weapon for the tornado version, and add spit. It would probably add to the CR slightly, but it should still be in your preferred range.
Edit: Modified to petrify and breath tornadoes.

Wow Thanks a lot :D I will be sure to mention your name in the game "credits"

[Frog Dragon]

Heh. Glad to be of assistance. That thing was fun to make.

[Marvel-dude]

well if you are up to the challenge I have more ideas for "guardian beasts" :D

[DracoDei]

Hmmm... and here I was thinking of something where the tornadoes would last at least rounds, if not minutes, which would mean the battlefield would be lousy with them after a few rounds.... the wolf using them to block ranged attacker's LOS and directing them into meleers and etc... but that might be a higher CR encounter.

[Owrtho]

That would depend how it uses them. The op mentioned that it is defending its territory. If you read the whirlwind spell description, it can pick up and drop people. I could see it just making 1 or two whirlwinds and using them to toss the PCs back at the base of the mountain. While the monster would have a higher CR if played all out offensively, it could be acted out in a less dangerous manner.

Owrtho

[Debihuman]

Frogdragon: you misapplied the Monster of Legend Template. It changes the type to Outsider (and it should probably have the Native subtype although not expressly stated in the template). I originally thought it should have d8s but you were right it is d10 as magical beast since that is better.

Technically, this breaks the rules because you can't add Winged Creature template to a Monstrous Beast That said, you should note where and when you're fudging the rules. I have no problem with fudging the rules (and adding the Winged Template to a Magical Beast is fudging only because a Winter Wolf is a Magical Beast and not an Animal). It's a minor fudge and not one that is going to cause any problem. Normally, the Winged Creature Template turns the base creature into a Magical Beast (winter wolf already is one so I'd let it slide). However, then adding the Monster of Legend Template turns it into an Outsider. You'd have to apply Winged Template before the Monster of Legend Template to make it work in any case.

You should also note why and where you switched out feats. A standard winter wolf has Alertness, Improved Initiative and Track. It gained Improved Initiative and Multiattack as a bonus feats from MoL template (but can't use Multiattack). you should note that it lost Track and Alertness or you give it Track as a bonus feat in place of Multiattack, so that it loses only the Alertness feat. Giving it better feats isn't a problem but you should note that you are doing so.

One more thing: skills. It should have 100 skill points to play with. At 18 HD it can have no more than 21 ranks in any skill. I'd go back and give it the same skills as the Winter Wolf as follows: Max ranks in Listen, Move Silently, Spot and Survival with any points left over going into Hide.

You should also note the following:

Skills
Winter wolves have a +1 racial bonus on Listen, Move Silently, and Spot checks. Winter wolves have a +2 racial bonus on Hide checks. *Their natural coloration grants them a +7 racial bonus on Hide checks in areas of snow and ice. A winter wolf has a +4 racial bonus on Survival checks when tracking by scent.

Debby

[Frog Dragon]

I missed that part about the templates.
I switched out the standard feats because this is a custom monster. It's feat choices suck terribly. I feel no need for it to have terrible feats.
Adjusted type tho.

[UndeadCleric]

I personally like the idea of having the hurricanes be able to:
A) Block ranged attacks
B) Move people around
C) Last a few rounds
I know that that would make a higher CRed creature than you want but you could have them go after something else to level and this way makes a ton more sense to me.

[Debihuman]

Breath Weapon should be usable every 1d4+1 rounds. I'm not sure what the "cooldown" is though, so you'll have to explain it.

Here's a more complete version of how the breath weapon works (and I included all the relevant mechanics):

Breath Weapon (Su): Every 1d4+1 rounds, the advanced monster of legend winged winter wolf can breathe a 15 foot cone of cold which deals 4d6 points of cold damage; Reflex Save DC 29 halves. The save is constitution-based. In addition, creatures in the area are affected as through struck by windstorm effects. Wind speed of 51-74 mph, ranged attacked are impossible, siege weapons take a -4 penalty.

Small or smaller creatures are blown away. Small or smaller creatures on the ground are knocked prone and rolled 1d4×10 feet, taking 1d4 points of nonlethal damage per 10 feet. Flying Small or smaller creatures are blown back 2d6×10 feet and take 2d6 points of nonlethal damage due to battering and buffeting.

Medium creatures are knocked down; they are knocked prone by the force of the wind. Medium flying creatures are instead blown back 1d6×10 feet.

Large or Huge creatures are checked, unable to move forward against the force of the wind. Large or Huge flying creatures are blown back 1d6x5 feet.

Here's how the skills should look:

Skills: Hide +15*, Listen +24, Move Silently +26, Spot +24, Survival +24*

Debby

[imp_fireball]

Not necessarily, since this monster won't be in any Monster Manual pre-made. It's homebrew, technically.

The rest I agree with, though.

Wings is a template in savage species I believe (there was a block for a flying dog there). You can increase the flight speed and maneuverability however you like.

In addition, creatures in the area are affected as through struck by windstorm effects. Wind speed of 51-74 mph, ranged attacked are impossible, siege weapons take a -4 penalty.

In addition, creatures in the area that the breath weapon affects are treated as through caught in a windstorm (review SRD for wind storm listing under weather conditions).

Windstorm = Wind speed of 51-74 mph, ranged attacks are impossible, siege weapons take a -4 penalty.

Fixed.

What happened to Debbie's red pen I wonder.

[DracoDei]

Breath Weapon should be usable every 1d4+1 rounds. I'm not sure what the "cooldown" is though, so you'll have to explain it.

Cooldown is how long you have to wait after using an ability before you can use it again.... and I think that 1d4 is perfectly acceptable (well, except for the D&D vs WoW terminology difference). It might be exceptional for non-dragons, but it is certainly clearly specified. My Wing Dragons can use their breath-weapon every round. Noting that it is harmless smoke/fog (which they use to blind opponents so they can use their Sneak Attack...).

[Debihuman]

The reason it is once every 1d4+1 rounds is due to the templates (or maybe it was a feat) that were used. I don't remember which one added the +1 to the breath weapon. I've never seen it as cooldown before.

Debby

[DracoDei]

Oh, right. From that perspective it makes sense.

[Andion Isurand]

If you want more of it to be homebrewed, try my modified winged template on it.

[Owrtho]

The reason it is once every 1d4+1 rounds is due to the templates (or maybe it was a feat) that were used. I don't remember which one added the +1 to the breath weapon. I've never seen it as cooldown before.

Debby

As I recall, it was a Metabreath feat from the Draconomicon. As such the use is optional, and only adds the extra round if its effects are used. As for cooldown, it is usually used more when talking about real time games than turn base ones, but otherwise has the meaning mentioned.

Owrtho